It’s hard to imagine that Cincinnati expected they would be in this situation.
On Sunday, Wisconsin announced the hiring of Cincinnati’s head coach Luke Fickell as their next head coach.
While it’s a “destination job” for Fickell, the move comes with its fair share of shock value. Fickell spent six seasons in charge of Cincinnati, leading them to the College Football Playoff last season. The Bearcats were 57-18 under Fickell, including 31-5 since 2020. By all accounts, other programs flirted with Fickell but weren’t able to convince him to leave Cincinnati.
Fickell’s hard work has turned Cincinnati into one of the best jobs open and one with its fair share of suitors.